CLEARVIEW TWP. — With triple the normal volume of requests and registrations this year, a forest school in Simcoe County is expanding with a new location and more staff.
Free Spirit Forest and Nature School has partnered with Highlands Nordic in Duntroon in Clearview Township to open a new forest school location in September.
Kim Simpson, one of the founders and directors of Free Spirit Forest and Nature School, said brainstorming began about a month ago and led to a fourth forest school location.
Simpson and her partner, Matt, opened the Free Spirit school five years ago in Collingwood where they operate at Bygone Days Heritage Village, using the one-room schoolhouse as a base. However, students and teachers spend 99 per cent of their time outdoors.
The school has expanded with locations in Meaford and Wasaga Beach, and now Duntroon.
“Deep nature connection is more important than ever these days and we want to see all children outside in local forests with a skilled mentor who understands the power of play and child-directed, emergent learning,” said Simpson.
She expects to have between 150 and 200 students enrolled in Free Spirit Forest and Nature School, with programming five days per week in Collingwood, three days per week in Wasaga Beach, and two days per week in Meaford. So far, there is one day per week scheduled for the new Highlands Nordic location, but that could change if more students register.
“As things fill up, we’d love to continue to meet this need,” said Simpson.
Currently, the staff of Free Spirit Nature and Forest School are working with other forest schools in the area as well as the health unit to develop policies and procedures to mitigate and reduce the spread of COVID-19. That includes greater physical distancing during outdoor classes as well as frequent handwashing/sanitizing.
Students are coming from a wide variety of different school plans. Some are attending traditional school and will leave classes once per week to attend forest school. Others are opting for online learning through their school board, and others still are homeschooled. Some kids attend multiple days per week and others attend one day a week. There are programs for kids aged four to 12 years old.
The new partnership with HIghlands Nordic means the forest school students and teachers will be able to use the expansive property during lessons. Free Spirit school facilitators will lead the class, and Nordic Highlands staff will assist and mentor with them.
Kelly Sinclair, director at Highlands Nordic, said she is thrilled for the school to open on the propert.
“Highlands can’t wait to be part of this outstanding program,” she said in a press release from Free Spirit Forest and Nature School.
Programs will begin at each location the week of Sept. 14.
For more information or to register for the school, visit the website at fsforestschool.com.
